This Night of A Thousand Stars
by The Flower Girl
Summary: The first night out of Seillune, Lina gets reminiscent for the home she left behind years ago.


Lina lay awake on her mat, staring at the stars. She couldn't sleep for some reason-maybe because she was back to the mat again. She really liked the beds in Saillune but she was really starting to get restless; she had already been there for over a week and the urge to leave was greater than the love of beds.

As she stared at the sky, she realized she was amazed by the sheer number she could see; the moon was full, and they weren't too far out of Saillune- the lights were still very visible from where they were, and there were still thousands of stars visible from where she lay.

As shooting stars darted past her eyes, she asked herself if she was different somehow. She didn't quite _feel_ the same as she used to. She didn't know if it was the feeling she'd get in her stomach when she thought about the future, or the one she'd get when she thought about the past. Either way, she knew she'd have to settle down eventually and that bothered her. She loved traveling, and treasure, and killing bandits and...she knew she kept up in this relationship like she wanted to, sooner or later she'd have to settle down- she had already received a letter from her sister, demanding she come home and find a man and settle down, she ripped it up, burned it, and stomped on it just for good measure, and it still bothered her. She didn't know why. Maybe she'd swallow her pride and return home, if for nothing more than calmed nerves.

A stirring next to her brought her back to reality. A golden head turned to face her. She smiled.

"Whatcha thinkin' about?" Gourry asked, reaching up to caress her cheek.

"Nothin'" she replied, still staring at the stars.

"You were concentrating pretty heavy on the stars then," he said, without even skipping a beat.

"I got a letter from home," she replied, slowly drawing out her breath.

"A letter?"

"Yeah, last week. From my sister, demanding I come home and get married. I knew this was going to come-I just hoped I'd have gone home by then."

"Are you going to respond to it?" he asked, propping himself up on his elbows.

"Of course not," she said, nearly cutting him off. "This isn't the first letter like this she's sent. She's actually sent four. Once this month, the one I just ripped up, two a couple months ago, and the first one I received two weeks after our first night together. She seems hell-bent on making sure I return home. I don't know why, if it's that big a deal why doesn't she settle down? She's the damn oldest anyway."

"We'll go visit your family," Gourry said abruptly.

"What?"

"We'll go home. I've always wanted to meet your parents. They'd have to be interesting to raise someone like you."

He smiled as a blush crept up her cheeks. Was he asking her what she thought he was asking her? Nah, he probably just wanted some wine-it _was_ almost the season. Nothing was better than Zefeilia during grape season.

'Dammit,' she thought. 'Now _I_ want to go home.'

"Sure?" she found herself saying.

"Is that a question?" Gourry joked.

"No, I was just thinking about it. Maybe if I went home, my sister would stop sending letters."

"We'll go," Gourry started again, rubbing her back before lying back down. "When you're ready."

He rolled back over, towards the fire, leaving Lina alone with her thoughts. Soon, however, sleep captured her as well and she was soon asleep next to her protector, snoring lightly.

* * *

Lina awoke a few hours later, fire in her eyes and a pain in her belly. She rolled over and watched the fire dance. She realized now she had forgotten to stand watch; it was her turn tonight. Shrugging off the cold, she walked to the pile of wood Gourry had chopped earlier while she caught dinner. Throwing a few logs on it, she sat back down, reaching for her blanket. As she watched the flames dance, she found her mind wandering again. Soon she was home, trying to explain to her parents why she couldn't participate in the activities this year and her sister chasing down Gourry and questioning him on every move he'd ever made. She chuckled, that was _kind_ of funny, but she doubted Luna would be that gentle, especially if she went on about her damned honor. She imagined her mother would probably want them to get married since they were there-she'd claim that it was convenient since they were home and there was a temple nearby. And that was the part that upset her. She didn't want to go home to get married. She didn't even really want to get married. She didn't even really want to go home. Yet here she was, staring into the fire, hugging her knees, thinking about it, while the man she shared her most intimate moments with slept next to her. Shouldn't she really share it with him? She always thought marriage was a partnership and if this would indeed end in marriage, she should discuss this.

'In the morning,' she thought as she laid back to look at the stars.

She awoke a few hours later. Something had to be wrong; she usually slept better than this. A stirring next to her caught her attention.

"Gourry?" she asked. "Are you awake?"

He sat up, rubbing his cheek.

"I am now. What happened? Lina, are you alright?"

"Yeah…I'm fine. I guess I just woke up."

He continued rubbing his cheek, which caught her attention.

"Are you OK?" she asked, pulling his hand away from his face.

Four scratches, still red and slightly swollen, tainted his cheek.

"Oh Gourry, I'm sorry."

She crawled over to his mat, and crawled into his lap. Turning his cheek to hers, she rubbed her fingers over the scratches. Saying a few words, she watched as the wounds disappeared and left light scars on his cheek.

"There," she said, turning his head back to face hers. "It's better now. Sorry."

"Hey Lina, can you move? My leg is cramped."

Giving Gourry a look he hadn't seen before, she started to move back to her bed.

"Well, I guess I'll just go to sleep," she muttered.

"Here," he said, lifting her back up.

She gave a squeak and then a nod and a greedy grin. She understood his plan now.

"Is that why you woke me up?" she asked, drawing her face to his.

"I recall _you_ waking me up, but since we're up…"

With a laugh his lips met hers. Pulling the blankets around them both, they didn't even hear the rustling in the trees around them.

"Heh heh heh, hey guys, check this out," one bandit called to his friends. "Looks like we've got front row seats to the best show on earth!"

"Is that who I think it is?" another asked, pushing him out of the way.

"You bet your ass it is!" someone yelled from the back.

"Shut up Steve! Do you want them to hear you?"

"No. Sorry."

Falling silent, they remained hidden in the trees, intent on watching the act before them, biting back snickers.

By this time, Lina's yellow undershirt had been discarded next to them and Gourry was working on her pants. He teased her nipples while he worked with the string of her pants. They were the same ones she always wore, but it always seemed like these were the times he could never get them free. It had to be the angle he was at. Simultaneously, two pairs of pants dropped past their knees. He could tell by the way she moved that she was ready for him. There would be no foreplay for Lina tonight-if she was this ready, she wouldn't allow him.

He felt her straddle him and he tried to pull the blanket around her for warmth.

"It's going to be short," she told him as she pumped up and down around him.

"I know," he said as he tried to pull her close.

"No," she said, moving faster. "I like it here."

She liked watching his face move as she moved and twisted the way she knew he liked it. The way he bit his lip and squinted his eyes shut proved to her just how close he was-she had learned that much in their few months together.

"Lina, I-"he panted, breathlessly.

"I know." she said, bearing down.

He pushed her hips down, drawing himself further into her darkness. She would come with him; he would make sure of it.

He felt her legs move, higher and he knew what she was doing. This was it! His eyes made stars as he squinted to keep them open.

He couldn't take it any longer! It bubbled up inside him, threatening to engulf him, and Lina as well.

"Lina-"

She grunted a response.

"Lina, I'm going to-"

"Do it!" she whispered in his ear.

She had trained him well, because on command, he felt himself let go. She whispered his name and collapsed as he grunted.

They lay still for a just a moment, still joined; struggling for breath Lina had almost drifted off to sleep when both were jarred awake by cheering coming from the woods. She bolted upright, looking around. Straight out from them she saw them. A group of five or so bandits had attempted to hide behind the shrubs. Arms outstretched, they were cheering. They had seen the whole thing!

Screeching, Lina rolled to the ground, taking the blanket with her. Scrambling for her pants, she tripped on Gourry's pants, still bunched at his knees and slid three inches to hers. The dirt embedded in her knees and she knew that was going to be a bitch to wash up later. Wrapping the blanket around her, she tightened her string.

Firing blindly into the woods, she listened for their screams. There would be payment for watching her, which she was sure of.

"Hey! Stop!" Steve yelled, peeking up out of the bushes.

Lina paused a moment, considering his request. Smiling, she fired into the bush where he was hiding.

"No, I don't think I will. Fireball!"

"Lina, I think they get it."

"No punishment is too great. Gourry, they were WATCHING us."

"Amelia's watched us and she's fine."

She blushed to her roots. Amelia had watched them too? She almost considered giving her the same fate as the bandit, but decided against it.

* * *

Later, as the last flames died on the trees, before she dozed off she turned to Gourry. Brushing the hair from his ear, she whispered her threat.

"No more sex outdoors or you're sleeping in the hallway!"


End file.
